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Central Alliance
Conventional/Formal Name: Central Galactic Alliance Common Name: Centrality; '(the) Alliance' Flag: (TBA) Colors: Blue and Gold on Black Military Flash: (TBA) Motto: (TBD) Anthem: (TBD) Official Languages: Central Common Demonym: Central; Centran Regional Languages: Vharese; (...) Capital: Tsonarr Largest City: (TBD) Government Type: Parliamentary Constitutional Federation Economic Model: Socio-capitalist Leader Title: First Governor Leader Name: Chakran Darkhressek Area Magnitude: 10 Sectors (1 Home Sector; 2 Core; 3 "Second Expansion"; 4 Colonial Population Estimate: 290 Billion GDP: $60,000 Established Date: 1402 (Unification Calendar) Currency: Lesat (LEE-sat) Currency Code: LST Drives On: Right Etymology The origin of the title "Central Galactic Alliance" is from the original treaty that bound together the first group of founding worlds into a shared economic zone. The economic zone was typified by its agreed, shared stock market and merchants' resolution offices for negotiating binding trade agreements and arbitrating disputes. It was referred to as the "Central Binding Authority" and was a shared collective of merchants, investment houses, and lawyers. History The history of Galactic governments essentially begins with the history of extrasolar travel, and later, the history of Faster-Than-Light travel. For centuries, many galactic civilizations existed as slower-than-light entities, and in fact many extrasolar governments were not even truly cohesive entities due to travel and communications limitations. The first real breakthrough in true galactic governance came when the inhabitants of Illorion made a breakthrough in FTL transit. The Rise of the Djeriessi Hegemony: Illorion was ruled by the powerful and influential capitalist-monarchy known as the House of Djeris, which had ruled mostly unbroken for over two hundred years, and had become financially powerful with various trade deals that gave them monopolies in certain key enterprises. They capitalized on the FTL drive when it became a reality, and spread out in a series of concentric spheres of expansion to colonize and exploit their stellar neighborhood. Over the course of centuries, the Djerissi Hegemony rose to galactic prominence as the most influential and powerful united governing body in space. While other species, as well as other human worlds, discovered FTL travel on their own, it was the Djeriessi that optimized its implementation in aggressive settlement, colonization, trade and in some cases, military conquest. The Djeriessi Hegemony essentially ruled most of known space for 972 years, albeit to varying degrees of control and influence. Interregnum: The Djeriessi government eventually broke up from a combination of external and internal pressures, after a long period of decline and social neglect. A period of relative interregnum followed, although rather than becoming a period of anarchy, power for the most part simply devolved to smaller, local governments. After nearly 200 years of political independence, many starfaring businesses and governments began to negotiate common economic agreements and conditions, including agreed-upon exchange rates and stock values for certain companies that traded across established borders. First Governor Janos Mirick of Tsonarr negotiated a vast agreement of inter-governmental and inter-corporate agreements that was referred to as the "Agreement of Central Binding Authority" Centralizing Agreements and Eventual Alliance: As time went by, the "Central Binding Authority" got called on to do more than just negotiate trade or handle legal disputes, but it was also turned to as an authority that was expected to help navigate new space lanes, clear existing lanes, maintain navigational bouys, and --as time went on-- to provide defense from pirates and predatory state-sponsored raids and privateers. As more and more "governmental" type demands were met, and planetary governments themselves began investing and pooling resources in the Authority as well, the Authority took on more and more "official" functions until it also became the primary inter-planetary legilsative body as well. With the formation of the "Central Alliance of Galactic Powers", the name became recognized as the "Central Galactic Alliance". The Central Alliance now is a hybrid of regulated free markets with a core of socialist/state-capitalist government operating most strongly in the Core Worlds, becoming increasingly less pervasive as one heads out to the Colonial Sectors. In far-off Colonial regions, the Central Alliance is seen as nothing more than the military, border patrol, and communications network agency, with local governments or corporations providing more direct influence in daily affairs. Politics The Central Alliance itself is a representative parliamentary democracy where a First Governor is the executive head of state, and the deputy position is known as the President of the Senate. The First Governor cannot initiate legislation, but can request legislation be initiated on his or her behalf by the President of the Senate. The Central Alliance has a bicameral legislature, with Systems represented by one Senator each in the Senate, and by multiple representatives by System demographics in the Central Assembly. Legislation must be passed by both Chambers. The First Governor has both 'Full Veto' and 'Line-Item Veto' privileges when finalized legislation comes to his or her desk. There is also a non-voting but highly influential third party involved in decision-making, the Guilds Assembly, or 'Guilders', which is where various non-governmental organizations are allowed to discuss matters and pass non-binding but symbolic votes and resolutions. The Guilders was an early attempt at transparency, a place to gather influential groups, organizations, and activists while restricting them from unofficial, unregulated meetings with Legislators. The Guilders has become a powerful and influential lobby, and is almost universally hated as a symbol of everything that is wrong with the Alliance today-- but, each member of the Guilders represents a powerful special interest group with strong bases among different levels of the ppulation, and cannot easily be done away with. Courts and the Criminal Justice System: The Central Judiciary System is an interconnected system of legal courts that have representation at planetary, systemwide, sectorwide, and Alliance-wide jurisdiction. The Central Judiciary System of Courts does not have jurisdiction in all matters; the CJSC can only hear cases in which overall Centrality-wide law is involved. Most of their caseload and focus is on trade and maritime law, but criminal law cases are heard in the event of a criminal conspiracy that crosses multiple jurisdictions, or even in a case where a common criminal crosses jurisdictional boundaries. Cases of governmental corruption are heard in Central courts as well, and there have been military war-crimes hearings (in close cooperation with military authorities) after the Sector Wars. The Central Judiciary System of courts uses professional juries as a civil-service branch. Proffessional jurors are hired from among the population, and must meet certain requirements that are related ot a background check (such as not belonging to extremist organizations or have outstanding criminal charges pending, and so forth). Jurors start out as Apprentice Jurors and serve in small claims courts, and can eventually move up to positions as Jury Chair for capital crimes cases. The Central Alliance membership treaty typically allows people who come from planets that require citizens to spend a certain amount of time in civil service to opt for the Civil Jurors Service. The Central Civil Jurors Cervice is frequently a way for people to enter government service without the requirements of specialized training or formal higher education. Law Schools frequently require regular internship programs as Jurors; also, Juror service is an easy way for students to make money in their free time. Culture One way in which culture is reaffirmed is by holidays, and holidays tend to reflect seasonal changes or regional events on a planetary society. Once a civilization has spread to encompass multiple worlds, these holidays lose their significance except in abstract ways. The Central Alliance encompasses many worlds and peoples, with varying histories. The founders, significantly First Governor Mirick, was sensitive to the conflicts created by the humanocentric nature of the Djeriessi Hegemony and wanted to avoid "overly humanizing" the Alliance. Holidays that reflected events on human dominant worlds were done away with in the new Alliance, and a calendar based on Galactic rotation, subdivided down to days, weeks, months and years that closely correlated the natural wake-sleep cycles of most Alliance species, was adopted. Alliance-Specific Holidays: There are four primary holidays in the Alliance calendar. New Years is the first, and is followed five days later by Foundation Day. The New Year/Foundation holiday cycle is a long festival of celebration with anywhere from one to two weeks off for most workers. The next major holiday is Recognition, or officially the Days of Recognition (sometimes compared to various "Days of Giving Thanks" of other cultures) in which various blessings and bounties that people have are recognized for their significance. Frequently a day of feasting and being thankful for what people have. The next major Alliance holiday is Harvest, a pan-cultural celebration of the ancient boons brought to communities during their harvest times. Harvest originally started as a feast day, but more recently there has developed the popular notion of feasting specifically on cuisines of cultures one is not a part of or unfamiliar with, so that a human family might have Q'Aab cuisine, for example. The final major Alliance holiday is Communion, a week-long festival period in which the religious practices and significance of peoples' chosen beliefs are featured. While the holiday is supposed to be nothing more than a celebration of whatever a person's individual beliefs are, it has also been a period of inescapable argument for some, and orthodox followers of various beliefs typically ignore or denounce the holiday entirely as an artificial construction of watered-down philosophical mumbling. Regional and Sector Interpretations: Like all culture, Central Alliance culture depends largely on who is asked, and where they live. Culture in the interior sectors is strongly tied to Central Alliance identity, to the extent that increasing numbers of people who have grown up knowing nothing but a strong Alliance identify closely with the Central Alliance as a primary social identity more so than their home planet. In these sectors, festivals, dances, cuisine and minor holidays that are actually specific to certain planets or peoples are frequently seen as "Alliance" in nature. In the Second Expansion sectors, Central Alliance culture is perceived as weaker, supplanted more by planetary, system, corporate or species identities. Cultural celebrations, clothing, foods, holidays and other reflections of social identity are frequently given greater attention, while the Alliance holidays are treated as "free days off" while downplaying the Alliance nature of what are considered to be "fake" holidays. Further out, in the Colonial or Frontier sectors, even species identity is eroded and supplanted by a strong affiliation to the Alliance and identification with their local community. Alliance holidays are celebrated but usually as components of local events. Popular Media: Pop culture in the Alliance tends to be pan-species, with current emphasis on predominantly human and zhulescu themes. Popular holoserials, on the other hand, typically feature wide cross-sections of society. Dramas will tend to show inter-species groups working together to overcome difficulties, and comedies will focus on social malapropisms among mixed groups. As Central Alliance culture focuses more on pan-species unity, inter-species relationships and marriages are increasingly normal and popular. Inter-species coupling does not produce offspring, but adoptions, surrogacy, and insemination from anonymous same-species donor sperm or modified base-cells to provide children are employed instead. Calendar: Days of the Week: Firstday; Seconday; Midweeks; Alterday; Standdown; Freeday; Lastday Months: 9 months of 40 days apiece, except for the last month, with 45. The Central Alliance Armed Forces (Main articles: The Central Army and Central Star Navy) Points cost, Army: $9500 Points cost, Navy: $50,500 TOTAL: 60,000 = Defense budget of GDP The military of the Central Alliance is divided into the Army and the Star Navy. The oldest of the two forces is the Central Star Navy, which was formed by a conglomeration of system and planetary patrol and customs forces that were tasked to work together to combat pirate and privateer forces preying on Alliance merchants. Over time, this small patrol force grew larger and larger, and eventually became a full military in its own right, unified and organized and sharing increasingly common equipment to cut costs. It began fighting real wars, eventually, and the Central Alliance saw the benefit of having a "big stick" around to use if needed. The Central Alliance has since felt militarily threatened by a far, far larger and empire called the Irrykanoi Republic, and so in response to this the Central Armed Forces have grown in power and influence. Some Alliance members decry this; while others say it is a natural growth of increasingly Federated power to deal with various threats. The Navy uses a series of medium-to-heavy level starships to enforce Central policy. Central Alliance Naval vessels of Frigate and abovr do have small contingents of Naval Infantry aboard their ships, primarily to serve as ready-to-use security for away teams, boarder repelling and boarding operations. Naval Infantry are not stationed on smaller assault vessels unless for specific mission needs. Space Forces: The Central Alliance Star Navy typically operates Cruiser-class vessels as their largest spacegoing ships. There are larger vessels that hav ebeen available, such as the Admiral Kamorta-class Dreadnought, but these have been found to be too limited in usefulness for the amount of expense generated. With hordes of Combat Raptor Groups already able to cover Alliance space with ease on their own, the need for massive Dreadnoughts, Carriers, and Battleships is seen as unjustifiable. Cruisers: Aurora-class (Ultra-Heavy category): $600 (30 in service: $18,000) Keriah-class (Superheavy category): $330 (10 in service: $3300) Tomarov-class/Assault (Superheavy category): $450 (10 in service: $4500) ---- Destroyers: Sheakha-class/Torpedo (Superheavy category): $200 (10 in service: $2000) Tirrex-class (Superheavy category): $200 (50 in service: $10,000) ---- Frigates: Kynda-class (Heavy category): $100 (50 in service: $5000) Crossbow-class/Escort (Heavy category): $100 (25 in service: $2500) Serratos-class/Torpedo (Heavy category): $100 (25 in service: $2500) Archangel-class/C3I/SPECOPS (Heavy category): $150 (10 in service: $1500) ---- Ultra-light family: Avenger-class----$15.00 Corsair-class----$15.00 Dauntless-class--$20.00 (extensive ELINT/EWAR suite) Admiral Chilkey Cutters: $25.00 Ultra-Light forces deployed: Raptor Groups (3 Avengers + 1 Corsair) at each major planet listed: $60 (50 Raptor Groups= $3000) Raptor groups (3 Avengers + 1 Corsair) at Souula Base Moon: $60 (5 Raptors: $300) Raptor groups (3 Avengers + 1 Corsair) at Sekkoya Anchorage: $60 (5 Raptors: $300) Central Navy doctrine has found Fighters to be inefficient against heavy warships, and so they are not invested in. ---- ARMY FORCES: Army Forces are arranged into Planetary Commands, which are subservient to Sector Commands. A Planetary command will typically be arranged around a Corps, however, the total numbe rof troops and units assigned to a Corps can vary depending on the planet. In some cases, especially in spread-out colonial sectors in quiet regions of space, Corps can be stretched out to cover an entire System, or even two or three Systems in extreme cases. SOF/Elites: 20 million Special Operations Forces soldiers (x3 kit modifier, 10000 soldiers per $, $2000 total) SOF troops are soldiers specially trained for long term, long range and deep-penetration missions. They are as likely to be in civilian clothes and acting as an augmented Intelligence or Spy branch as they are to be in uniforms carrying out missions on a battlefield. SOF has access to pretty esoteric equipment, from powered armor to space-to-surface drop pods, to personal stealth systems that render soldiers invisible on the battlefield. Regulars: 500 million Central Army regulars (x2 kit modifier, 100000 soldiers per $, $5000 total) Central Army Regular forces are the rank-and-file backbone of the Central military. Infantry ground forces (including Engineers and MPs) will have full body armor. The body armor has hostile environment and individual comfort control for a wide range of climates, as well as integrated communications and sensor systems, but it otherwise not powered in the 'muscle-enhancement' sense. Central Army forces are broken up into Light, Medium and Heavy forces, with anti-gracity and hoverborne support vehicles allocated accordingly. The Central Army also operate air forces that operate in sub-orbital environments, and hoverborne vessels that are designed to operate on water surfaces. Submersible craft are also the purview of the Army as well. System Militias: 500 million System Militia forces (x1 kit modifier, 200,000 soldiers per $, $2500 total) The Central Alliance has standardized local defense forces into an integrated, modular force that is to be maintained at near-Regular readiness levels. Because of this, and the fact that many system defense militias by themselves would not be able to afford the extensive training and powerful equipment that the Regular Army fields, the Central Senate is required to provide funding to support the maintenance requirements at Reg-Force levels. Total cost: $9500 Total Army forces: 1.2 billion Galactic Geography The Central Alliance is located in the "north-eastern" most corner of the map. Administrative Divisions The Central Alliance is divided into multiple adminstrative divisions called Sectors. There is no set standard or ruling on the size or composition of a Sector; in some regions a Sector may be only a few hundred light-years in size, while other Sectors may be in the thousands. During initial exploration, Sectors are usually delineated by astrogational terrain features, such as a a cluster of stars or singularities in a region would be used as a border to differentiate from another Sector. These intial Sector borders are invariably changed as the Sector is charted and colonized. Sometimes Sectors are delineated by swathes of space that are settled by a particular polity, such as either a regional or species government or by a coalition of NGO's for exploitation. Some Sectors in the Central Alliance represent entire regional governments that joined the Alliance in whole, and retained their name and a great deal of autonomy while becoming a part of the Centrality. Home and Core Sectors In the various Home and Core Sectors, where the Alliance as a social institution has existed for the longest, Alliance economics are strongly tied to planetary and system economics, and reflect a strong and cohesive form of state-capitalist socialism. The Central Alliance political authority is a strong and pervasive identity in these regions, with corporations being seen as working for this entity. Tyquo Sector: Home Sector * Tsonarr (Capitol of CGA) * Tylos * Ncharr * Kraiak * Indobeez Trynea Sector: * Ve'tcharek (zhulescu homeworld) * Lree (Wanni homeworld) * Coryatii (Kreen homeworld) * Il'aketlek (Q'Aab homeworld) * Adira Souula Sector: * Illorion (old Djeriessi capitol) * Ji'khallakh*ta (Thenn homeworld) * Kairee * Chasma * Pharoq Midrange, or "Second Expansion" Sectors: The Second-Expansion Sectors are regions where the pervasive nature of Central Alliance political and economic authority drop off considerably. Here, planets that were once burgeoning or developed colonies of previous governments that were abandoned in the economic crises of the failing Hegemony remain deeply resentful and suspicious of Alliance promises and motives. Here, planetary governments and --in a large way-- corporate patronage and identity tend to be at the fore, and the ring of Second Expansion sectors are frequently characterized as vast playgrounds of freewheeling capitalism and corporate power. As the Central Alliance began to spread out in its earlier days, they "re-established" regular contact with this ring of expansion colonies that had been largely left to fend for themselves in the declining years of the Hegemony. These colonies, now thriving worlds in their own rights in many ways, were in a sense "re-colonized" during a period that became known as the "Second Expansion". Kana'K'Ta Sector: * Kreaje * Browlee * Akiirii (A'kii homeworld) * New Sasteen * Quandry Sash Nebula Sector: * Kuji Trinary * Tiirgau * Anwo * Grandeur * Khote'e Daellish Sector: * Talheen * Zhuura's Throne * Pagglu * Arrayko * I'irkto Colonial Sectors: The Expansion or Colonial Sectors are sectors that were founded relatively recently, during a period of Central Alliance power and influence. Many of the newer colonies are in some way beholden to the Central Alliance government eithe rin whole or in part, and so their sense of share didentity and loyalty tends ot be strong. Alliance colonies are open markets for small-business ventures and freewheeling capitalism like the Second Expansion, however, they also have a strong cultural and social identity --and loyalty-- to the Central Alliance, which they see as a protector and guarantor of security. Takhzista Sector: * Khesze * Tythos * Tarthon * Rann's Landing * Redden Base Raumsfeldt Sector: * Blokh-Lune * Syndra * Bell Plains * Big & Little Churgo * Newfield Ithyqa Sector: * Massicee * Sheelee * Austus * Urla * Qiwen Sekkoya Sector: * Sekkoya * Traccus * Quroen's Facility * Pithud * Pit 12 NOTE: It is worth note that the original Central Alliance is an alliance of over 62,000 major worlds, and the small Enclave represented in the SDNW4 story is but a cross-section of this vast interstellar alliance. Economics Currency: Lesat (LEE-sat; some accents pronounce it LAY-sat or lee-SAT) 1 Lesat = 5 Pente ("PEN-tuh") 1 Lesat = 10 Decce ("DEK-kuh") 1 Lesat = 100 Numis ("NOO-mis", frequently pronounced "NOO-meez") Slang: ' Lesat: skins, slap, stuffin's, Riffle-Raffle, chuk. '''Overview of Modern Economic Conditions in the Alliance: ' The Central Alliance economic system today is an odd hybrid of a state-run socialist-capitalist enterprise that has grown beyond the control (but not the influence) of the business interests that created it as a handy shared utility. There are now generations of citizens born and raised entirely as Central citizens, and owe no allegiance to any one particular planet or commercial interest. What this means for future generations and their perceptions of their place as citizens in the galaxy is yet to be seen. Business in the Central Alliance is regulated to varying degrees. There is more regulation and taxation the closer one gets to the Home and Core Sectors, however, for some big Transector corporations this is also where the big money is made, serving the needs of the defense industries and various major manufacturers and distributors. Further out, there are less regulations, and tax burdens are eased as corporations pick up various necessary utilities and in some far-flung corporate colonies, security, medical services, and conflict resolution. Sectors, especially sectors established by single polities, species, or corporate interests (for example, the Q'Aab home sectors), also frequently have their own subset of tax codes, defense contracts, and public service requirements. All these must meet standards of execution and expectation that meet or exceed Alliance standards, without violating basic tenents of universal sapient and civil rights laws. '''Background: The economy of the Central Alliance is heavily based on zhulescu-style capitalism. The Lesat was originally the name of the zhulescu "1-credit chit" that was agreed upon when the zhulescu went to a global currency. The lesat wa salso the name of the virtual credit that made up their stock exchanges. The zhulescu had a thriving economy in the declining years of the Djeriessi Hegemony and refused to integrate their economy or offer any bailouts, loans, or other support to failing Djeriessi institutions, almost all of which were blacklisted as "unrecoverable" credit risks. Historians argue about whether zhulescu investment could have saved the Hegemony, or if it would have merely staved off the inevitable before dragging the zhulescu down with them, but many worlds who had grown resentful of the burdens of Hegemony membership (especially non-human members who felt they weren't getting many of the benefits) quietly applauded zhulescu stubborness. When the Agreement of Central Binding Authority was created, First Governor Janos Mirick campaigned heavily to get the zhulescu involved. The zhulescu campaigned as well to make sure they had an influential voice in the new agreement, and with their support many others were reassured enough to sign on as well. The Alliance economy started out as a variety of major business consortiums and trans-stellar megacorporations, as well as state-run businesses unified by stock markets, common currency, and agreed-upon legalities. What is now the Central government was originally an agglomeration of shared duty departments that grew and evolved into an overall government. It is said by some that certain companies, such as military contractors, built their own perfect customer in the Central Alliance. Science, Industry, and Technology: The Central Alliance is an advanced, industrial civilization. There are three primary phases to Alliance industry: Programming, Fabrication and Assembly. Nanotechnology Policy: Nanotechnology is used in the Alliance for three primary uses: Fabrication, Health and Medical, and Dispersed AIs where needed. Nanomachines are given limited and specific programming that does not allow them to be used or modified for other applications, and many come with self-destruct programming in case of either misuse or if they are left for too long without input from an authorized source. Industrial Fabrication: The Programming phase is when an item is recognized as necessary. It could be for any reason; from entertainment to household goods, military to simply decorative. Once a item is needed, the Programmer has to consider all the environments that the item will realistically be utilizied in. The parameters are programmed for fabrication, with consideration given for everything from strength and stress points to aesthetics (if necessary). Once an item's parameters are entered as a program, the program is run through Fabrication. In Fabrication, the item is constructed with the help of nanomachines and a prototype is produced and tested. If there are failures in the design, it goes back for more Programming and the process begins anew. Once an item has been Fabricated appropriately, then it is typically matched with other components needed to build the desired end product. Most of the time this is done robotically, but there are some cases where assembly is done by hand by skilled artisans. Large-scale manufacturing is done by Fabricating componnets, which are then assembled into large-scale products such as cars or spacecraft. In orbit, a spacedock may have two or three massive Fabricators the size of small cities creating needed components for spacecraft to be assembled in place. Household Fabrication: The average Alliance household will have a fabricator for common items. Programs can be purchased from the civilian network for a fee, and the fabricator can then make whatever is asked of it. A variety of business models exist to support this; some businesses charge a large fee up front but then the program belongs to the purchaser to make as many copies as they please. Others charge a minor fee for a program but then the program automatically charges the end-user each time it is run to make something. Others intend programs to be limited-use, and come with a "sunset period" after which the program self-destructs and the customer must purchase a new version (or go to a competitor). Typical civilian household Fabricators are limited in size by what they can produce, and many times are also limited by local laws. A person on a world with strictly controlled access to weapons would not be able to fabricate his or her own weapons in the solitude of home. A household fabricator cannot run military-encoded Programs, and repeated attempts to run military programs by an unauthorized Fabricator will result in the Fabricator shutting down and in some cases alerting authorities. Civilian hobbyists and small-scale marketers sometme smake their own Programs, and can even sell them on the market. Business-management AIs and Legal Analyst AIs are sometimes required by local law to make sure that Programs are safe to use and employ as recommended. No blanket Alliance law exists for this yet, due to concerns from various citizens' actions and small business groups. Illegal Applications: Obviously, a black market exists for illegal Fabrication programs, and for modified Fabricators based on household models but able to Fabricate illegal items. Laws and penalties for this activity is typicall enforced at local level, unless criminal enterprises cross Sector boundaries. Medical and Health: Central Alliance medical philosophy supports the notion of prevention as much as possible before correction becomes necessary. Furthermore, medical practice in the modern Alliance has been leaning towards avoiding invasive (surgical) proceedure as much as possibel, preferring to work through nanotechnology where possible. Nanobots for specific procedures are injected, do their jobs, then go inert and are flushed from the patient's system. Using biotechnology where possible, they are not a significant impact on the environment. Nanomachines are part of every Alliance citizen's physical makeup (except in certain cases where ideology explicitely refutes their use). Nanomachine shelp regulate a body's health and well-being, and helps to repair cellular damage as a result of accidents or wounds, exposure to harmful elements, and aging. The average human lifespan has been increased to 120 years of healthy, active living, with only the last 5-10 years, depending on individual metabolic rates, being a precipitous drop-off in health and quality of life. Nanobots can also be prescribed to help regulate dietary intake, either to correct blood-sugar difficulties, or to burn excess fat. Most health-regulatory nanobots help burn off excess fat on their own, but for severe eating disorders a person can be prescribed specialized nanobots for the express purpose of burning fat (although for such disoreders, a physical exam and counseling is also required). Nanobot injections can be given for specific medical purposes. Eyesight correction, dental correction, heavy-metal accumulation, and so on can be solved with long-term nanobot injections. Things such as kidney stones, for example, are eroded and flushed away by nanobots as a matter of routine health, but major problems such as organ degeneration or failure can be either repaird or slowed by nanobots, or in extreme cases, the failing organs are eroded (where safe and practical) and a cloned organ transplat will be scheduled. Cloned Organs and Limbs: Organ cloning and replacement are standard for the average citizen. Many corporations offer it as part of their employee health plans where Alliance-provided medical services are unavailable. Central Alliance government employees and military personnel are all given the "leave as you came" policy, stating that their physical bodies will be restored or maintained as it was when they entered government service (with exemptions for "natural, irreversable degeneration" such as aging). Cloned organs and limbs are taken from base cells provided when the citizen is born (or in emergency cases, from cells taken on the spot). The limbs or organs will not be rejected, being from the person's own cells. While the replacement parts are grown, a temporary (frequently cybernetic) version will be provided. Cybernetics: It was, for many years, popular to openly wear and flaunt cybernetic enhancements such as plugs or mechanical parts. This trend has largely passed, and is seen as unpopular and old-fashioned, and now open cybernetic enhancement is frequently associated with either poverty (unable to afford a proper replacement) or just being socially maladjusted. Modern Cybernetics are carried out through nanobots, but a few examples of technology worn as clothing or accessories is common. The eyelens is worn like a contact lens and acts as a computer monitor/heads-up display. Personal computers are typically worn as small, inobtrusive belt clips or in some cases are disguised as jewelery or belt buckles. Interfaces resemble cellphone-like units worn on belts or in handbags, and frequently incorporate holographic displays for easier use of keyboard-style input-- although most holointerfaces are keyed to voice or gesture commands. Personal Assistance Networks: In the Central Alliance, there are many different networks competing for customers and against one another. People can choose to subscribe to networks of various levels og helpfulness and efficientcy, and they may choose to join a network that is limited in scope or coverage due to either economics or simple disinterest in enhanced services. The Alliance-wide, government provided public service network is CENTCOMNET, which provides basic services to its subscribers for a small, pay-as-you-use fee. Some services are entirely free, such as emergency medical alerts and providing directions on public streets or sidewalks. Other service providers include examples such as NavaNet, which is a highly popular provider that can give directions and even alerts you if someone on your friends list is within a certain distance (selected by the customer). Some service providers allow you to make welfare checks and get health updates on friends family members with medical difficulties, and can make reservations, forward requests, and otherwise act as a personal secretary, tour guide, and banker. Some providers are regional only (the Q'Aab have an extensive network in their two sectors) or are of limited utility, such as only providing directions to businesses and services that have paid to be members of their network (Fastnet Services, serving many sectors in the Second-Expansion region). Demographics See also: Central Alliance Species Humans: 29% Humanity is easily the largest single demographic of the Central Alliance today. Humanity is unusual in that it is among the oldest of species discovered so far, and has been found on a number of worlds spread throughout the Iriesii Galaxy. That, and evidence of a vast, prior civilization found on many worlds, has led to the belief that humanity is either a fallen imperial species, or, a species that was seeded for unknown reason by another fallen imperial species. Q'Aab: 15% The Q'Aab had made their own breakthrough in FTL travel and had spread out to encompass a respectable civilization in their own right when contacted by the then-young and expanding Djeriessi Hegemony. Initially unfriendly towards the Djeriessi (whom they saw as arrogant to a fault), the Q'Aab and Hegemony were actually in a state of mutual hostility that never quite managed to erupt into war. The Q'Aab were the last major species to join the Alliance, and the largest single polity to join at once, bringing in what became, to the Centrality, two full sectors of settled worlds. Zhulescu: 12% The zhulescu were just beginning to experiment with FTL drives of their own when they encountered the Djeriessi. The zhulescu, while formerly hostile to the Djeriessi Hegemony, were much more optimistic about the Central Alliance and joined early on. It was the vote of confidence and early participation from the zhulescu that made the Alliance a success and attracted other non-human species to cast in their lot with the nascent Central Binding Authority. Thenn: 12% Originally, the thenn were discovered by the Q'Aab when the thenn first began experimenting with primitive uncrewed FTL probes. The Q'Aab used a hasty alliance with the thenn (overlooking many cultural barriers) to present a united front to the Djeriessi. The thenn later were enthusiastic early supporters of the Central Alliance and abandonded the patronage of the Q'Aab. They are small, relative to humans, and adapted for Wanni: 10% The wanni were one of the few non-human species that was able to reach a comfortable accord with the Djeriessi Hegemony. Contacted during the early stages of wanni experimentation with STL colonizing of their solar system, the wanni were grateful to the Hegemony for allowing access to FTL technology. Shannai: 8.5% The Shannai were early partners with the Djeriessi Hegemony, seeing in the Hegemony many excellent business opportunities. The Shannai were in many ways deeply involved in the Hegemony and were willing participants in its expansion for their own gains. Some non-human species look upon them with distrust as a result of this, but the Shannai insist that --as a corporatocracy-- they are just going where business is best at any given time. Markounah: 5% The Markounah were also busines spartners of the Djeriessi Hegemony, although more suspicious and standoffish than the eager Shannai. Markounah corporatocracy tends to have a wide streak of kleptocracy in it, and is a very male-dominated social structure. Kreen: 1% The kreen are evolved from nomadic plains stalkers, and are a generally peaceful species with a herdlike mentality that seeks to avoid trouble. Suspicious of the Djeriessi, they retained friendly (if passive) terms with the human Hegemony, but were much more comfortable with the Central Alliance and are now eager partners that rely on the Alliance for security and protection. Skiatla: 1% One of the few non-hominid members of the Central Alliance, the Skiatla are a species of small beings that resemble squids. They live immersed in waters and those that choose to interact with Alliance society at large do so in small round hovering spheres that move by means of anti-gravity. Their speech is translated by machine and synthesized fro people to understand them. A'kii: .5% The A'Kii are unusual for a number of reasons; not the least of which is that they are six-limbed, with four legs and two arms. They also show signs of obvious genetic manipulation deep in their developmental past. A powerful, militant and martial species, they are a female-dominated society centered around clans and packs. Considered by some to be temperamental and warlike, they are trying to find a way to fit into Alliance society. Veliscii: .5% Several years ago, three colonies of the Irrykanoi Republic broke away and sought to secede from the Republic. They sought Central Alliance help, and a sympathic public relations campaign brought the two vast civilizations to a brief shooting war for the colonies. The small population of veliscii in the Alliance come from these three breakaway colonies, and their status in the Alliance is controversial. Ghuun'akhschaa: .5% The Ghuun'akhschaa are a large, powerful race of swamp-dwelling amphibians. The Djeriessi considered using them as a source of cheap labor in exchange for modest rewards, and their treatment of the Ghuun'akhschaa was cited as one of many grievances non-humans had against the Hegemony. Virtually ignored for decades after the fall of the Hegemony, the Alliance has recently "re-discovered" them and sought to integrate them into society as partners rather than as subjects. All other: 5% A variety of other non-human species exist, many of which are of too small a population base to be of demographic note in the vast Alliance. Many of these were species that had not yet begun space flight when they were contacted by the Alliance, or, species that were saved from extinction following their own internal wars or other disasters. Ethnicities: (To be expanded) Religion: The Constitutional Accords of the Alliance allow for freedom for any to observe religion in their own way, provided said exercise of religion brings no harm to others. No official religion is recognized by the Central Alliance, however, the largest and most well-known organized religion is easily the faith known as Thyssan, or Thyssaism. While the people of Illorion, the House of Djeris, discovered Faster-Than-Light drive first, Thyssaism started on Tsonarr, another human dominated homeworld that was an early contact of the Djeriessi. The members of the House of Djeris had tried to appeal to the Galaxy's citizen by becoming early adoptees of the then-new Universalist Faith, an attempt to reconcile the various religions and prophets, messiahs, and other religious figures being found as FTL drive took the Djeriessi to regional dominance. Universalist philosophy never became too popular outside certain minority circles, however (some blame the unsavory association with the Djeriessi ruling elites), but the Tsonarri exported Thyssaism with great zeal. The Thyssan religion had grown to recognized political dominance by the time of the Djeriessi contact and assimilation (the Tsonarri political system allowed for "religions of official standing") and so it was a highly organized prostletyzing machine that took to the stars to spread the word of their savior, the slave-caste girl named Thyssa who was martyred for her beliefs. Thyssaism, however, has split into many, many sub-facitons and is by no means a unified faith. The most obvious change has been the assimilation of many Universalist-style philosophies that makes Thyssa adaptable to many non-human societies. In many cases, Thyssa is simply used as a personifying symbol of religious unity for a single, nonspecific deity. Orthodox purists, however, continue to cling to salvation through the human girl herself. Universalist faith still has many adherents, even though they are frequently derided as a watered-down "religious philosophy" rather than a true belief. In the Q'Aab Sectors, the dominant belief system is Thyrr'ikhata, or "(the act of) holding Thyrr reverent", with Thyrr being an ancient Prophet that unified warring clans to work together for peace on what came to be believed as a divinely inspired mission. Q'Aab philosophy sees the elevating of anyone, Thyssa included, as a savior or intecessor between people and God as a blasphemous concept. Still other beliefs exist in the Alliance, ranging from ancestor worship beliefs to polytheism to still others, and of course there are many who have no religious beliefs at all. For the most part, the average person is a casual adherent, staking claim in a belief but not overly involved beyond holidays or special events. True believers, orthodox, and evangelists of many beliefs and sects mix on a daily basis and compete for believers, in the ongoing daily life of the Alliance. Education: (To be expanded) The Alliance at a Glance: The Central Alliance is not from here. In fact, it was ported in from an alternate dimension for reasons unknown to the rest of the factions gathered. The Central Alliance comes from a galaxy they know as the Iriesii Galaxy. It's relationship to the Milky Way is unknown, but there is some speculation that what we know as the "Andromeda" Galaxy may be the "Iriesii" Galaxy. To the outsider, this much will be easily observable: the Central Alliance is a multi-species alliance of primarily humanoid-type life forms, although there are many other life forms in their realm which are not members of the Alliance or are considered periphery members. They appear to be a loose Federation of member worlds and systems, or whole sectors, banded together for trade and defense. In fact, with a little closer inspection, it can be found out that the name "Central Alliance" is an outgrowth of the first statement of agreement among the member worlds, where --for trade and economic reasons-- an "Agreement of Central Binding Authority" was adhered to, uniting various members in a cooperative agreement of trade, exchange rates, stocks, and various other fiscal and commerce policies. Over time this trade compact became quite wealthy in a Galaxy that was, at the time, still reeling from a long-ago galactic governmental collapse. Merchants became targets for pirates and extortion, and a small patrol force was authorized to enforce trade law. It was made up of smaller system guards and customs forces of various member worlds. Over time, this small patrol force grew larger and larger, and eventually became a full military in its own right, unified and organized and sharing increasingly common equipment to cut costs. It began fighting real wars, eventually, and the Central Alliance saw the benefit of having a "big stick" around to use if needed. The Central Alliance also felt militarily threatened by a far, far larger and vast empire called the Irrykanoi Republic, and so in response to this the Central Armed Forces have grown in power and influence. Some Alliance members decry this; while others say it is a natural growth of increasingly Federated power to deal with various threats. The debate rages on. This much can be picked up from Central Alliance newsnets, citizens, and other opinion media available to common people. The Central Alliance is a parliamentary constitutional democratic republic with an increasing trend towards socialism (and some would argue, militarism). They have, technically, a bicameral representation system (a Senate based on one vote per membership, and a Parliament based on population representation) with a "First Governor" (Prime Minister). The Alliance has basic provisions for Freedom of Expression ("Free Speech") in their constitution. The Constitution also outlines representation in the Parliament & Senate and taxation issues. The Constitution allows for the free spread of religion but expressly forbids a "state religion". The Constitution also forbids the practice of any religion that might deny a citizen their freedom to enjoy the rights enumerated anywhere else in the Constitution. Slavery is forbidden (however there are debates over indentured servitude and "economic slavery conditions" on some corporate-run worlds). Discrimination is forbidden (with a long list of what sorts of things might constitute "discrimination"). The freedom to own weapons is decided by member polities, and run the gamut form absolutely forbidden to near-universal allowance. There is a sort of general standard being slowly and evenly applied. That is the stuff an outsider can find with a few hours' simple research on publicly available outlets. Category:National Information Category:Central Army Category:Central Alliance Navy Category:Central Alliance Species